Book Review--Her Sweetest Downfall by Rebecca Hamilton

The Cover:

So Pretty!  I love the covers in this series, and the new cover for the Forever Girl is even more breathtaking than the original.

The Blurb:

Ophelia's been successful at hiding her true identity, until the mark of the serpent appears on her neck—a death sentence, should it be seen by anyone in her town. Hiding the mark might save her from falling victim to the witch hunts of her era, but the scorching sensation it carries can’t be ignored.

When the mysterious Ethan is sent to collect her for a life of something more, she learns concealing the mark is the least of her concerns. She’s destined to do a new task—to join a dark, supernatural world and protect the future of people she may never meet.

What she doesn’t know—what she learns too late—is that her initiation won’t be complete until she kills the man who’s captured her heart.

My Review:

Rebecca Hamilton has once again wowed me with her writing in her latest release, Her Sweetest Downfall.  I fell in love with Hamilton's characters in The Forever Girl , so I wasn't too surprised when I found Ophelia's story enthralling.  We are introduced to Ophelia at the end of the Forever Girl.   She plays a crucial role in helping Sophia, and now we get to see why that is.

We drop into Ophelia's life as she heads off to run an errand for her employer.  But on her journey into the woods she hears a violin playing.  Her experience turns to terror when she is chased by a stranger who whisks her away from her ordinary world.  The man informs Ophelia that she has been chosen for a higher calling.  Ophelia is drawn to her captor and the resultant romance between she and Ethan is fulfilling.  The only thing I didn't like about it was how much Ophelia's conflicting emotions resemble Stockholm syndrome.  I think this is mainly due to this being a novella.  We don't get to see as much of the motivation and interaction as we would in a full length novel.

That being said, I was engrossed in the mythology of the Crurors, and Shifters, and Fae.  I found Ethan a fantastic hero, and Ophelia a realistic protagonist for her time where women had to be a bit meek to survive.  Even though the story was relatively short, it felt natural and not rushed at all.  I have to admit that the experience wasn't as exciting as reading the Forever Girl, however, I would still give it 4.5 stars because of the feelings it invoked from me.  I thoroughly enjoyed stepping into this world once again, and I can't wait for the continuation of Sophia's story in 2013.

Can't come soon enough for me =0D

You can get your copy for $0.99 here

Also, see my review for the Forever Girl here

Happy Reading Everyone

~Christie